Lea was running for her life.
So maybe punching Luke hadn't been the best idea, but it wasn't her fault that his throat was in the way of her fist. He should have moved if he was such a great fighter that they claimed him to be. She could not be held responsible!
Her disguise disappeared fairly quickly which made sense considering that the monsters would know an imposter was on the boat, but still, it made things a little complicated.
It was too late that she realized that she was being led into a trap. By the time she realized it, she was surrounded on all sides.
Now, Lea had faced off against multiple opponents before, but usually those odds were three or five against one, not hundreds. No one could call her a coward, but she didn't even have a real weapon on her.
Lea should have taken the nuke!
"Well, that was rude," Luke pouted playfully. "And here I thought we could talk things out."
"Talk," Lea snarled, hands balled into fist. "You tried to kill my twin brother and you think I want to talk to you." Her laugh was sharp and bitter. "You might be 'that guy' to these dumbasses, but you're just a bitch to me."
"There's no need for name calling," Luke chided. "What would your Mother think? How is she by the way? Percy didn't answer before he was hm, distracted by one of our pets? How's school?"
As if she'd answer that. She wasn't going to make it obvious that her Mother was a weak spot and she refused to entertain the fact that Percy died. He didn't die last year from a literal poison from hell or fighting the god of war, so she wasn't going to believe that whatever pet animal he had could kill him.
She stared at him in silence.
Luke titled his head at her when she didn't reply. "We let you survive another year. I hope you appreciated it."
Lea scoffed. The cheek, the nerve, the audacity, the gall and the gumption.
"You're much different than your brother."
"Was it the boobs that did it?"
One of the monsters in the crowd stifled a laugh. Lea flashed a grin their way.
"So, you're not going to accuse me of poisoning Thalia's tree?"
Lea tensed. That was... huh. "Did you?"
"I did," Luke nodded.
"Does that count as murder," Lea mused. To kill your soulmate gave you only three options. One being immediately placed on death row, two in solitary confinement, and very rarely, you could get acquitted if your blessing was just a shit person that like raped or killed people.
"She's dead," Luke snapped. "The gods dishonored her! If Thalia were alive, she'd be on my side. She'd say I made the best choice possible. If you knew what was coming, you'd understand–"
"I understand you tried to kill my brother," she yelled. "You're a monster!"
Luke shook his head. "The gods have blinded you. I guess you fell for Hermes' charm, huh. He has more red flags than the Soviet Union and you're sticking beside him."
"I'm not about to waste time arguing with you, idiot," Lea snorted. "Whatever your problem is with him then that's between you and hell because that's where you can go."
His eyes narrowed. "I know you, Lea. You deserve better than tagging along on some hopeless quest to save the camp. Half-Blood Hill will be overrun by monsters within the month. The heroes who survive will have no choice but to join us or be hunted to extinction. You really want to be on a losing team? I thought you were smarter than that."
"Smarter than you could ever hope to be," Lea sneered.
"And yet you still plan to find the Fleece? What were those coordinates, again ... 30, 31, 75, 12? You see, I still have friends at camp who keep me posted."
"Spies, you mean."
He shrugged. "How many insults from your father can you stand, Lea? You think he cares about you? He left you and your brother to be raised by one monster and now he claimed another."
Lea blinked. Luke laughed. "Oh, yeah, I heard. Your father claimed that cyclops. What was his name again? Tyson."
Lea balled her hands tighter, eyes narrowing. No one made fun of her people and that included the monsters even if Tyson was the only one that fell under that category.
Luke just chuckled. "The gods are so using you, Lea. Hermes just wants to add you as another notch on his bedpost. Do you have any idea what's in store for you if you reach your sixteenth birthday? Has Chiron even told you the prophecy? Percy didn't seem to know."
She barely managed to stop flinching when he mentioned his Father. Barely. It wasn't like she didn't already know that, but damn... it surprisingly hurt to hear it thrown in her face like that.
"You think I give a shit," Lea croaked, voice a bit rough. "You want to talk about Fathers?" She gave a sharp laugh. "Sure, maybe Poseidon doesn't give a shit about me, but Hermes still thinks the world of you. I don't know why though. You're stain on his legacy and yet he still sends people after you." She turned to look around the crowd until she found Rodriguez standing tensed not too far away. "You too Rodriguez. He all but begged me to come on this dumbass ship for you."
Lea then turned back to Luke, "Speaking on that, this place is a bit. Are you compensating for something?"
Luke flushed.
"For some reason, Hermes won't give up on you. On either of you," she sneered. She turned back to Chris, throwing the book at his face and felt only the slightest bit of regret that he caught it instead of letting it smash his nose in. She noted the way the ring that her Father had given her was glowing a bit. "A gift for you. Apparently, he knows you're a nerd so here's a bedtime story for you, dork."
"Give up on me?" Luke roared. "You're just as bad as your brother. He abandoned me, Lea! I want Olympus destroyed! Every throne crushed to rubble! You tell Hermes it's going to happen, too. Each time a half-blood joins us, the Olympians grow weaker and we grow stronger. He grows stronger. Little by little, we're calling his life force out of the pit. With every recruit who pledges our cause, another small piece appears-"
"That's disgusting!" Lea gagged.
Luke sneered at her. "Soon there will be enough of the titan lord so that we can make him whole again. We will piece together a new body for him, a work worthy of the forges of Hephaestus."
Lea scoffed, voice mocking. "You think I give a damn about my Grandfather? He needed help to fight his dad and then got jumped by his own kids. He can get stronger all he wants, but at the end of the day, he's always going to be a fucking loser. Just like you." She tilted her head, widening her eyes playfully. "You think he's going to be grateful to you? You think Kronos is going to care about you more than he cares about reclaiming his glory and living out his glory days? Please. You're delusional. If the gods are using me, then he's using you."
"Maybe so," Luke chuckled. "But at least, I'm of use on the winning side. You can join us and you'll be rewarded. We have powerful friends, sponsors rich enough to buy this cruise ship and much more. Lea, your mother will never have to work again. You can buy her a mansion. You can have power, fame-whatever you want. You and Percy will never be separated again, not by the gods or even death."
"Eat my ass," she snarled, eyes shining a poisonous green.
Luke sighed. "A shame." He waved his hand. "Well, I suppose we must get rid of you now."
Lea gave him a sharp grin, "You can try." She raised her hand to the heavens, the definitely glowing ring pointed directly at the sky. "By Asteria and Persês: Open sky and do your worst!"
As the last word dripped from her lips, a clap of thunder sounded so loud one would think that Zeus himself was standing by their ear. Before their very eyes, the heavens opened its doors and gave wave to ferocious winds and waves that turned into a howling storm.
The winds were tyrants, roaring and groaning as they attacked the boat with its sharp blades. Rolling clouds came crashing down, and streaks of lightning danced across the deck twirling about the various monsters.
Luke was yelling something about Ôkeanos and Aigaiôn, but Lea didn't pay it too much mind, staring at the sky in wonder. If she thought the sea felt like coming home, then storms were like never leaving it.
The storm threw waves at the boat that loomed as high as the deck. Lea could feel laughter bubbling through her as it seemed to loom over them through the ship hither and tither like a child playing tug-of-war.
Lea spread her arms open, eyes sparking at the seams. "Let their powers fuel my own. Let us all have powers grown!"
The storm grew more terrifying by the minute, especially as more and more monsters were being destroyed and Luke went down under a heavy assault of lightning that seemed to chase him around the deck like an angry old lady with a cane. The storm howled ferociously, an unhinged sort of anger to and nearly capsizing it.
It was ferocious. Large waves and harsh winds sang a symphony that only she could hear. The hailstones clattered to the ground like marbles spilled from a box
Lea had never felt more alive.
"KILL HER," Luke roared, ducking to the right as three different lightning strikes had nearly surrounded him. Monsters and demigods all turned to her at one, trying to fight against the storms that were pushing them back even further from her.
"Maybe next time," she promised as she turned her gaze back to those around her, eyes glowing as bright as headlights. She walked over to the railing. The storm was focusing on her, keeping the monsters away, but she could feel it weakening.
Lea turned to look back at Luke as she sat atop of it, 'Oh, and Luke?" She waited for him to look at her once more. "Call me Lea again and I'll carve the last five letters out of your bones."
And on that note, she jumped into the ocean as a shower of arrows whistled over her head and fell into the sea.
How nice. She had a souvenir for Drew.
A wail of outrage from the ship behind her, but she could only focus on fighting against the way the sea was fighting against her. The Princess Andromeda faded to the size of a white toy boat in the distance, and then it was gone.
But it seemed as if the ocean wanted her to disappear also.
In the distance, she could see Clarisse's ghost boat. It was still low riding the water. If she looked hard enough, she could almost imagine that she was seeing Clarisse standing in full Greek battle armor, but she could barely see past the waves around her.
Something grabbed her leg and Lea kicked out, flailing about in the water.
"LET ME GO," she screeched. Her head went under. She kicked about like a kid throwing a tantrum.
Arms seemingly wrapped around her waist, puling her back under.
"DAD!" It was almost painful how the word ripped from her throat. The hands on her froze and she kicked out again and... and that was definitely a nose. She fought against the waves even more as a roar of pain rippled around her, desperately swimming towards the CSS Birmingham.
A hand wrapped around her ankle. She turned on her back, tugging at her own leg. "Let me go, you fucker!" Dark obsidian eyes glared at her under the cover of the waves. She turned her gaze to look at the sky. "Dad, please." Tears pricked at her eyes as hands grabbed hold her other leg.
The heavens opened once more. Beams of light like prongs of a fork hit the water. The dark-eyed being roared, letting her go to cover its eyes. Lea swam quickly towards the ship. The water churned faster, pushing distance between the two.
"Out of this water I shall be," Lea spluttered as the distance gained even more. "To the closest ship near me?"
Lea blinked as she was slung into the air like a worm on a fishing line before being thrown none-too-gently on top of the ship. The flag–-a wild boar and spear on a bloodred field— broke her fall though it didn't help much as she crashed. She rolled as she landed and she was sure that she broke her ankle.
When she came to a stop, she sprawled across the ground like a starfish. Clarisse appeared above her in worry.
"Ow," Lea groaned.
"Leaneira?" Clarisse asked, almost like she was worried.
"I'm fine," Lea muttered. She continued to stare up at the sky. Her "Father" helped her. Great. Gods like to be thanked for their help. She sat up with a groan, exhaustion clinging to her and an ache in her chest that seemed to hurt with every movement. "Man, do I have things to tell you."
"You can tell it after you stop looking like Death gave you a hug." Lea took hold of the hand the girl gave her and allowed her to pull her to her feet. Lea sagged against the girl since it became obvious that her body was not strong enough to hold up her wait. "Gods, what happened to you?"
"I became a badass," Lea smiled weakly. "Look out Sabrina Spellman. It's a new witch in town."
She was rewarded with a soft laugh as the two of them made their way to the captain's quarters. It was about the size of a walk-in closet, but still much bigger than any other room on board. Though the one in the Aphrodite's cabin somehow looked like an indoor storefront. The table was set with white linen and china. Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, potato chips, and Dr Peppers were served by skeletal crewmen.
Lea didn't want to eat anything served by ghosts, but she needed to eat to get some sort of strength back. Clarisse kneeled down beside her, inspecting her ankle that was definitely broken. "It's a clean break," the child of war said. " Most people need at least 6 to 10 weeks to fully heal."
Percy said that the sea could heal them, but Lea wasn't eager to get back in there just yet.
"I can get you some ambrosia to help it, but the stress from walking here probably made it worse," Clarisse mused. "I don't want to take the risk of you burning up because I gave you the wrong dose."
"A little piece then," Lea agreed. Clarisse nodded, making her way to her own supplies to get some of the snack. It still tasted like stew beef and gravy and Lea kind of desperately wanted her Mother at that moment.
"What happened, Leaneira?" Clarisse asked after she took her seat. "Did you see Chris?"
"I saw more than that," Lea murmured before launching into the story.
"He let you go too easily," Clarisse said, eyes slipping close as if she was restraining herself from attacking the boat. Chris was so close and yet so far at the same time.
"Probably. The magic was failing at the end and whatever sea demons he has on his side could have easily overpowered me if he really wanted me." Lea grimaced. Though... her Father may not have let that happen.
"And I doubt that Prissy's dead," the other said almost gently. "Both of you are too valuable to them with the Great Prophecy."
"Do you know what it is?"
She smiled a little bitterly. "The only person from our generation that knows it seems to be Luke and Annabeth."
"Annabeth?"
Yeah, there was a lot of bitterness there. "Chiron showed it to her."
"Talk about favoritism," Lea snorted.
"He basically raised her since she was seven," she said, as if she repeated those words a lot.
"Doesn't matter," Lea yawned. "If the prophecy is so important and Percy and I mean so much to it, then I don't doubt that Hermes would have told me and since he didn't... well, I never cared for Chiron anyway." She furrowed her brow. "The gods are worried about something we'll do, me and Percy when we get older. Or one of us anyway. Something when we turn sixteen."
"You shouldn't ask to many questions," Clarisse warned. "Every time heroes learn the future, they try to change it, and it never works. Look at Paris, Oedipus, Remus and Romolos. Heck, even the first Perseus."
"What do you know?"
"It just warns about a half-blood child of the Big Three-the next one who lives to the age of sixteen. That's the real reason Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades swore a pact after World War II not to have any more kids. The next child of the Big Three who reaches sixteen will be a dangerous weapon."
"Why?"
"Because that hero will decide the fate of Olympus. He or she will make a decision that either saves the Age of the Gods or destroys it."
"That's why Percy is still alive isn't it? And why the gods don't want me out on quests. Protection, my ass. They want to gaslight me and keep me on their side."
She nodded. "You could be very useful to them. Either side. The gods or Luke and Kronos. If either can get you or Percy on their side, the enemy will be in serious trouble."
"But if it's us in the prophecy, then why keep us alive?" Lea asked. "Why not kill Percy and forcibly ascend me?"
"They can't do that," Clarisse said. "Not when you're so entangled with the prophecy. It'd be like trying to escape Fate and things will be a lot worse. I think that's why Luke wants the fleece." Clarisse hummed. "It can fix anything. If they get it, they could probably speed up the resurrection and it'd make it harder for whatever happens when you turn sixteen and that's only if you or Percy are the kid of the prophecy."
"Man, Jesus came back once already," Lea groaned. "And he doesn't even meet the requirements."
Clarisse laughed again. It was a pretty laugh, and her smile made her look just a bit softer.
"I for one," Lea continued. "Can't believe he poisoned her tree. He seemed to really care about her." He had cried.
"Yeah, people do the craziest things for love," the other murmured. A ghost appeared at her side whispering in her ear. She gave Lea a small smile. "And it looks like I was right. The sensors just picked up chatter about three kids riding in a safety boat around Chesapeake Bay."
Percy.
Lea immediately felt when they changed from saltwater to freshwater and she made the decision to climb down to swirl her ankle in the water as soon as they docked. She, however, really didn't appreciate how the change made her even more tired and frazzled, like she was coming down off a sugar high.
The air was muggy and hot and she just knew Drew would be slathering her in sunscreen if she was there. Though the girl would also be belowdeck to keep the humidity from ruining her hair.
The sounds of fighting caught their attention and Lea couldn't help but to scowl. Of course. If this really was Percy, of course he would be fighting. Honestly.
They sailed down the steaming river and Lea covered her nose. It smelled horrible. And then, they came across the fight.
Clarisse shouted: "There! Prepare the thirty- two-pounder!"
A rhino-size thing moving through the shadows of the trees. It was hissing, its front half writhing in all different directions. Lea didn't know what she was looking at. It had multiple necks-at least eight, each topped with a hissing reptilian head. Its skin was leathery, and under each neck it wore a plastic bib that read: I'm A MONSTER DONUT KID!
"What is that," Lea yelped as he, she, it, whatever chased down what she easily recognized as her twin, her newest brother, and Annabeth. Tyson was smashing at the monster heads as best as he could, but it wasn't doing much against the thing.
"A hydra," Clarisse called out to her.
The creature that Herakles killed. Oh, great. Wonderful. But— "I thought it had nine heads?"
Clarisse swore. "One of them must have cut its head off." And in the next second, Lea could see where a wounded neck split into two necks. "The idiots just opened another Monster Donut shop somewhere!"
"My brother is about to die and you think I give a shit about donuts!" Lea screeched. She hoped it showed up on Luke's ship in the middle of a shower! "Kill it!"
A gravelly male voice said, "They're too close, m'lady!"
"Damn the heroes!" the girl said. "Full steam ahead!"
"Aye, m'lady."
"WHAT NO!," Lea yelled.
"Fire at will, Captain!"
"PERCY!"
The trio dove for the ground as an earth-shattering BOOM echoed from the river. There was a flash of light, a column of smoke, and the Hydra exploded right in front of them, showering them with nasty green slime that vaporized as soon as it hit.
"Gross!" screamed Annabeth.
"Steamship!" yelled Tyson.
Percy stood, coughing from the cloud of gunpowder smoke that was rolling across the banks.
Not that it mattered. While Clarisse stood next to the smoking cannon that had almost killed her brother and the other two, Lea threw herself off the boat to tackle Percy into a hug. "You idiot!"
"Losers," Clarisse sneered. "But I suppose I have to rescue you. Come aboard."
Word Count: 3411
Notes: Persês and Asteria are the parents of Hekatê. The spell Lea uses is from CHARMED and is literally called Hekatê's Storm Spell.
Hekatê is the goddess of magic, witchcraft, the night, moon, ghosts and necromancy. She was the only child of the Titanes Persês and Asteria from whom she received her power over heaven, earth, and sea.
Persês is the Titan god of destruction.
Asteria is the Titan goddess of falling stars and perhaps of nighttime divinations such as oneiromancy (by dreams) and astrology (by stars).
Aigaiôn was the god of the storms of the Aegean Sea and an ally of the Titanes in their war against the gods.
"Out of this water I shall be, To the closest ship near me" is Lea's first spell that she's written herself since the other spells were just bastardized versions from CHARMED.
In case you think I put too much cursing in here, I'd just like to point out that when Clarisse says "Damn the heroes" ... that's from canon! An actual line.
